Tony Perrett, Deb Frecklington in running for new Qld LNP cabinet
Gympie grazier and MP Tony Perrett will likely be Queensland’s new ag minister, and Nanango MP Deb Freckling the regional development minister in when new Qld Premier David Crisafulli announces his cabinet.
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Gympie grazier and MP Tony Perrett will likely be Queensland’s new agriculture minister, and Nanango MP Deb Freckling the regional development minister in Premier David Crisafulli’s first cabinet.
The returning MPs, who each served as opposition spokespeople in the previous term of state government, are among the names being tipped as likely inclusions in a new regional-heavy Queensland ministry.
Ms Frecklington, who was returned with 55 per cent support on the first count Saturday night and an expected 72 per cent result on two-party preferred, is tipped to be Regional Development Minister.
Mr Perrett has served as the LNP’s opposition spokesman for agriculture, fisheries and forestry since 2020.
He was comfortably re-elected with 46 per cent of the first count vote, and 65 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.
Mrs Frecklington declined to comment on any cabinet speculation on Monday, saying she was happy to serve in whatever role in the new LNP government she could.
She said the party’s win, and her own re-election, was an exciting time for Queensland and thanked voters for their support.
In a statement put out late Monday morning, Mrs Frecklington said it was “an absolute honour” to secure another term.
“My priority will be the key issues affecting our region, including the poor state of our road network, youth crime, access to health services and housing shortages,” she said.
“This is what I’ll be working to achieve for our Nanango electorate communities – right across the South Burnett, Somerset, northern Toowoomba, Cherbourg and western Gympie areas.
“As a passionate advocate for regional Queensland, I am committed to ensuring our region has access to the same quality of services as our city cousins.
“I also believe that areas like ours are the growth centre of Queensland and it is my priority to ensure our region gets its fair share.”
Mr Perrett declined to comment on cabinet speculation as well, saying those choices “were up to the (the party) leader”.
He was looking forward to another term as Gympie MP, this time working as part of a government in power for the first time.
The veteran MP has been in opposition since his election to the seat in 2015.
“It’s been a challenging time,” Mr Perrett said.
This term was “something that’s going to be new” and there was “a lot to do”.
Ongoing problems with health, youth crime, as well as long standing electorate-centric problems including a police station at Rainbow Beach, and upgrades to the Bruce Highway from Curra to Bauple were among the issues on his desk.
The future plans for Gympie Hospital were a priority, too.
“We’ve got to get the business case,” Mr Perrett said.
“We need to get that released.”
Mr Perrett has frequently called for a new hospital to be built in the electorate amid growing concerns over the long term suitability of the existing one, which is surrounded by residential developments.
The question of what an LNP cabinet would look like was a popular one during Mr Crisafulli’s campaign.
He said several times throughout it his cabinet would be unchanged, and during his election winning speech on Saturday he said the three former LNP leaders, which included Mrs Frecklington along with MPs Tim Mander and John-Paul Langbroek, “will get the opportunity to serve again as ministers”.
The new Premier reiterated on Monday after he was sworn in that the “senior leadership team that’s done the job and worked really hard, will continue to be that senior leadership team”.
Federal LNP Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien congratulated Mr Crisafulli and Wide Bay’s new and returned representatives: Mrs Frecklington, Mr Perrett, Marty Hunt and John Barounis winning the hearts of voters in Nicklin and Maryborough, not to mention David Lee in Hervey Bay.
“After a decade of the Labor Government, Queenslanders have been left a legacy of high crime rates, budget blowouts, slipping education standards, congested and unsafe roads, hospitals unable to cope with our growing population, and services being stripped from regional areas.
“David Crisafulli and the LNP team have a hard job ahead of them, but they have a clear plan to invest in our future and get Queensland moving in the right direction,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Wide Bay’s future is in good hands, and I am looking forward to working cooperatively with our state representatives to progress much needed upgrades to the Bruce Highway north of Gympie, and to remove the uncertainty about the Tiaro bypass and prioritise getting this life saving project built and open to traffic.”
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